How to water cyclamen - care rules during flowering and dormancy
Content:
The herbaceous perennial plant cyclamen belongs to the primroses family. Known from 20 to 55 varieties of culture. The cyclamen root has a tuberous shape. Green leaf plates with long petioles grow from it. Drooping flowers form on tall stems. Depending on the species, the plant blooms in winter and spring. Cyclamen is unpretentious in maintenance, but proper watering is the key to a beautiful and healthy appearance.
How to understand that a flower needs moisture
To understand whether the cyclamen needs watering, you should carefully observe it at rest. As soon as new leaves and buds appear on the bushes, you can gradually increase the frequency of hydration and the volume of liquid. Do not change the care regimen abruptly. A large amount of moisture will lead to rotting of the plant.
Unpretentious cyclamen flower
Watering frequency depends on the age of the bushes. Young specimens have weak roots, so they need frequent, but not very abundant moisture. Upon reaching the age of three, the cyclamen tuber becomes strong. It can store water and nutrients, so less moisture is allowed. In this case, the volume of water should be slightly larger. The following conditions affect the frequency of watering:
- temperature in the house;
- air humidity;
- lighting (in a bright room there is more water demand than in a dark room).
The flower loves rooms with high air humidity. Lighting should be diffused, the optimal temperature regime is from +10 to +20 degrees.
Water requirements
Watering requires soft and slightly cool water. Its temperature should be 2 degrees below room temperature. One day before watering, the containers are filled with water and allowed to settle. Spring water, melt water or rainwater is best.
How to water cyclamen at home - frequency and rules of watering
In the process of flower growth, two phases are distinguished: flowering and dormancy. During flowering, the soil should be abundantly moistened. At the end of this phase, the moisture is reduced. After the leaves dry, the tuber is exposed. During this period, watering is minimized. Overdrying the soil mixture in pots is not allowed, but it also cannot be brought to stagnation of the liquid.
When transplanting, it is undesirable to allow complete burial of tubers. They should be above the soil surface. We must not forget about drainage.
Watering methods
When growing a cyclamen, it is better to organize watering a flower through a pallet. With this method, water will not get on the tubers and buds. 2-3 hours after watering the bush, it is imperative to drain the excess water from the pan.
Watering a flower from a watering can
Do not allow direct contact of water to the plant - it is better to moisten it through a tray. You can use a small watering can with a long spout. From it, gently moisten the soil along the walls of the pot. If the cyclamen is not overdried, watering will not harm, and moisture will quickly be distributed throughout the entire earthen volume.
Another way to moisturize is to immerse the pot in liquid. This is done like this:
- Water is poured into a wide dish, for example, a basin.
- The pot is immersed so that the liquid is slightly below the edges.
The fact that the soil has become saturated with water is indicated by the wet shine on its surface. The plant is removed and the excess liquid is allowed to drain through the drainage holes.
Immersion humidification
If the bushes are very young, for example, when a flower is propagated by seeds, in such cases, wick watering is used. Its essence is that the plant seems to "drink" water through a wick, and the soil does not dry out. For this method, the soil must be light and breathable so that a swamp does not form.
Is it allowed to spray cyclamen
Before the buds appear, cyclamens can be periodically sprayed. But as soon as the first buds are formed, spraying must be stopped to prevent decay. To increase moisture, the pots can be placed on pallets of damp moss or pebbles. The bottom of the pot should not touch the water.
Frequent mistakes when leaving and watering
The flowering period of cyclamen falls in winter and spring. But if, with the onset of summer, the flower continues to actively release buds, you need to reduce watering and feeding. Novice growers try to cut flower ovaries to force the flower to hibernate. It is strictly forbidden to do this, as the flower may die.
In the spring, at the time of storing nutrients before the dormant period, cracks may appear on the tubers. This is evidence that the flower was first overdried, and then they began to water it abundantly. The substrate must be watered regularly to avoid excessive changes in humidity.
Pallet watering
With bottom watering or watering in a pan, the flower will receive as much moisture as it needs. With the right care and attention, they look healthy and look great, bringing joy to others.
